A Trip

A couple of weekends ago my co-leader, her husband and I took all of our Girl Scouts and one brother to the San Diego Zoo for the annual Girl Scout Cookie Kick Off.  It was a lot of fun and our girls had a great time.  However, it was smokin hot that day.  I know I should not be one to complain since some people are buried in snow and having negative temperatures but seriously people, at one point we were sitting on metal seats with the sun blazing down and I was sweating, it was gross sweating.  I think I might stop there, I just had a bowl of some delicious oatmeal and just the thought of sweaty skin makes me sick.....any who, we had a great time.  We sat on the metal seats for the kick off show where all my girls gave me a group hug for being a cool troop leader (I tried not to cry) and then sat some more for more show.

See that sweet face front and center?  It was her birthday that day and she chose to spend it with us, how cool is she?!!!!!  after we did the show, we were able to take off on our own and see all the animals.  Eventually we were able to stop and have a quick photo shoot......we may or may not have kicked some kids off f this thing and there may or may not have been a creepy lady standing next to me asking if she can take pictures of all my girls too, why?!!!!

all in all it was a fantastic day and since it is cookie season, make sure you keep your eye out at your grocery stores and in your neighborhood.  Girl Scouts work very hard and are very excited when it comes to cookies and I know when you buy a box, it means the world to them!!!!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

If you haven't been to My Baking Addiction yet, I suggest you do.  She is always posting super yummy recipes and these cookies were one of her many fall themed recipes.  They are soft and yummy and taste unbelievable.

What you will need:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped (I used craisins and didn't shop them and they were spectacular!)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well.  Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are  incorporated.  Fold in white chocolate chips and dried cherries.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

*12 minutes was way too soon for my cookies, they were really not done in the middle.  I think more along the lines of 14-15 minutes.  My oven cooks hot too.*

Enjoy :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

The other day I was in a baking kind of mood.  I had no clue what I wanted to do so I asked our middle one what she would like.  Cookies of course!  So, we found a new cookie we had never made before and they turned out super yummy!!!!  So, making it's first debut in our household, I give you the Chocolate Crinkle Cookie.....

What you will need:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix the sugar, oil, vanilla and chocolate in a large bowl.  Mix in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheet with shortening ( I did not do this, I used parchment paper and they turned out just fine).

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat.  Shape into balls.  Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes (I did 11 and they were perfect) or until almost no indentation remains when touched.  Remove from cookie sheet.  Cool on wire rack. 

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!